Open Access to Jewish Digital Data: Museum Collections, Exhibitions and Resources

For centuries libraries, archives, and museums have been custodians to extraordinary collections; treasured objects, and splendid works of art that are valued not only for their uniqueness, but also for their qualities of beauty and wonder. In recent years many academic and professional institutions have granted open access to these digitalized collections, exhibitions and resources; opening up resources in novel and compelling ways for academics and laymen alike.

This presentation will focus on libraries, museums and archives that host Judaica collections such as the Judaica Division at the Widener Library, Harvard College Library, the New York Public Library, the works of art of Jewish content in open access programs such as the Rijksstudio, Europeana and the Digital Public Library of America (dp.la).

These scattered resources are now freely available to all; and with new platforms such as WITH (http://withculture.eu) facilitating federated searches simultaneously across all these networks, this kind of open, and systematic linking of assets will serve to provide direct access to cultural heritage – to be treasured, and savored where ever you are. In this way, Judaica, and Jewish collections will not only sustain rich narratives for academia, but also open up new pathways for self-directed learning and creative ways of thinking about self; past and present for everyone.